Combined car brake and coupler



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. Y E. B. MEATYARD.

COMBINED GAR BRAKE AND GOUPLER. 'l

Patented Peb. 12, *1884L lig "IIHIHIIII EDwAED E. MEATYAED,

PATENT OFFICE.

or GENEVA, wisconsin;

COMBINED CAR BRAKE A ND COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters-Patent No. 293,263, dated February12, 1884.

Application filed July 7, 1882.v (No model.) l

To @ZZ whom, it mm1/y concern:

Be it known thatl, EDWARD B. MEATYAED, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Geneva, in the county of Valworth, in the State ofVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedCar Brakes I and Couplers, which are fully set forth in the followingspecication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, `inwhich- Figure l. is a top plan view of a car-truck provided with lmyimprovements. 'Figf2 is a bottom plan view of the same broken away atone side. Fig. 3 is a section on the line w :c in Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is asection on the line y y in Fig. 1the intersected wheels not 4the brakesare automatically operated by the coupling apparatus; and the objects ofit are, first, to provide a link-coupling mechanism more readilyattachable and detachable than `those now in use, and, second, toprovide a braking mechanism automatically operated by the couplingmechanism, so Vthat the brakes shall always be applied, except whenmotion is communicated to the train from the locomotive, and that in thelatter'ease, whichever the direction ofthe motion, the brakes shall betakenoi'f, and this by devices much simpler and less expensive than anyautomatic braking mechanism now in use. To these ends itu consists,partly,in vthe combination of the traction-springs with a lever having afixed fulcrum, with a rod pivoted to one arm of the lever after themanner of a toggle-joint, and with mechanism pivotally connecting therod with the brake-bars, so that the latter shall be forced apart ordrawn toward 'each other, according as the lever and rod are broughtinto or out of a continuous line by the elasticity of the springs; andit consists, further, in the several devices and combinations ofdevices, which l will now proceed to describe, and will afterward pointout definitely in the claims.

In the drawings, A denotes a pair oflongitudinal beams, which aidinsupporting the flooring of the car.

B denotes the buffer, which is a rectangular boX in general form, butenlarged at the front end, where it is open, into a iiaring circularrim, B.

The coupler C, which is inclosed within the buffer, is in general forman Ibeam, itsl flanges resting, respectively, against the top and bottomof the buffer, and its web, which extends for but a comparatively shortdistance betweenthe middle parts of the flanges being re-entrantlycurved at its forward end. This coupler is rigidly attached near itsinner end to the draw-bar D by means of a pin, G, passing through holesin the flanges of thecoupler and through an eyedlnut, D', which screwsonto the forward end of the draw-bar. pin passes through slots in theupper and lower plates of the buffer, by means of which the coupler hasa limited'longitudinal play in the buffer. Similar slots in the 'flangesof passage of another upright pin, G2, whose lower end rests on thebottom of the buffer, while its upper end passes through a hole in thetop of the buffer and rises ashort distance above it. The. hole is justlarge enough to allow an easy upward-and-downward movement of the pin.rThrough the upper end of this pin passes a horizontal pin, E, whichextends beyond the buffer on each side, and is secured at each end in anupright rod, E. The rods E pass each through a guidedug, B, on its sideof the buffer to a point some distance below it, where their lower endsare connected pins E and forming a clevis, which keeps the pin C2upright and limits its upwardmotion. Around the middle of the pin E2 ispassed the forward end of a'bar-spring, F, the rear end of which isrigidly attached-to the lower plate of the buffer, near its rear end.This spring draws the pin C2 downward whenever the buffer is pushed in,and at the same time cheeks the force of its descent, so that its lowerend does not strike the bottom of the buffer violently.` The spring ismade the coupler toward its forward end admit the by anotherhorizontalfpin, E?, the rods E and` This IOO

light, so that there may be no difficulty in raisl ening at the sides,which (though less than in ing the pin C2 when necessary, to let thecoupling-link G passbehind it.

One great difliculty in the practical working of traction-brakesheretofore has been that they have been applied to standard coupler andbuffer springs which h ave astren gth of fro m ten thousandto eighteenthousand pounds.

' Now, it is obvious that the traction-springs of these brakes shouldyield at least half their stroke to the resistance of a single car, orthe car-brakes will not be taken off. A single car weighing eightythousand pounds (more than ordinary weight) on a good level track shouldnot offer resistance much greater than two hundred pounds. It will beseen, then, that in a .train-say forty such cars-the tractionspringsneXt to the engine would have about eight thousand pounds tractileresistance to oppose the ten thousand pounds strength of the ordinaryspring, or nearly enough to take off the brake at the forward car; butgoing back, this force would be diminished ear by ear, so that on mostof the cars of the train the brakes would remain set to a greater orless degree, increasing toward the rear of the train. It must beevident, therefore, thatlight springs must be used, and it is one of theessential features of my invention to employ weak traction-springs whichmay be overcome by the traetile resistance of a single car.

Across the inner end ofthe link G lies a light bar, H, which also restsin the bottom ofavertical slot in each side wall of the buffer, and iseX- tended upward' at each end, the two ends meeting in a sort of archsome distance above the cross-pin E, and being enlarged to form a basket-like support, H', for the weight l at the inner end of theuncoupling-lever I. rllhe ends of the cross-pin E pass through theupright parts of the bar H, and are rigidly set in them, so thatwhenever the pin GZ is lifted the bar H is lifted with it, and is thustaken out of the way of an entering link. A chain, l2, connects theupper end of the pin C2 with the uncouplinglever. The fulcrum F of thislever rests on a bracket projecting from the forward crossbeam of thecar-platform, and is placed near the end to which the power is applied,in order to effect rapid operation, the weight to be lifted beingslight. The bracket is horizontally pivoted to the beam, so that theposition of the lever accommodates itself to the inward and outwardmovements of the buffer. The pin C2 may be made so long that its lowerend will touch the bottom of the buffer before it has reached the limitof downward motion allowed by the clevis, so that when the lower theiniddle) is still considerable, affords a-fulcrum for the link tooscillate on, so that it may accommodate itself to any difference oflevel in the two cars coupled. To facilitate the entry of the link intothe buffer, the flaring mouth B is concave above and below on its innersurface. At its inner end the buffer terminates in a sleeve, B, in whichthe drawbar has a longitudinal play, regulated by a coiled spring, D2,which surrounds it between the nut D and the rear end of the buffer. Therear end of they sleeve B3 passes through the front wall of the box-likeframe K of the main traction-spring K, and rests against the elasticwasher or cushion Y2, which is itself close to the forward end of thespring. By this means the buffer itself vis allowed a slightlongitudinal play. The cushion has a central perforation large enough toallow the drawbar to pass through, as it does also through a similarwasher or cushion, K, similarly placed at the rear end ofthe spring. K3,however, terminates in a sleeve of diminished diameter, and a lug-nut,D, is screwed on the rear end ofthe drawbar and against the rear end ofthe sleeve, so that the draw-bar has no motion relatively to the washerK. rllhe spring K surrounds the draw-bar, and its two ends press,respectively, against the two washers. rlhe sleeve portion of the washerK3 passes through the rear wall of the frame K. The frame K is fastenedat both sides to the floor-timbers A, and the backward and forwardmovements of the buffer are limited by the contact of the rear yandfront washers, respectively, with the rear and front walls of the frame.

By means of the eyes of the lug-nutD, the bar or rod L, which connectsthe coupling with the brake mechanism, is hinged to the rear end of thedraw-bar; or, if the coupling mechanism be used without connecting withthe brake, a gravitation-lever may be suspended The washer IOO IIO

from these eyes, and will serve t-he purpose of a nut-lock.

The brake-bars M, which are arranged between the axles, are parallel toeach other and perpendicular to' the plane of the wheels at the ends,where the brake-shoes are attached, but are bent away from each other intheir middle parts, so as to afford room between them for the toggle N,which operates them, and at the same time to keep the brake-shoes M'parallel to the convex surfaces ofthe wheels. Each arm of the toggleisbifurcated, as shown (partly by dotted lines) in Fig. 2, so that themotion of the toggle is kept vertical without the necessity of guides toprevent it from veering to the one side or the other. This constructionalso serves to distribute the stress on the brake-bar by applying theforce at two points. The toggle is arranged, as shown in Fig. 3, so thatthe upward motion of the joint nected, as shown inFig. 3, by a verticalrod; N and cross-bar O, with the double bentlever the double lever I.The rod O2 is' made in Aro two lengths, which are held Vtogether by theblnding-nut o?, so that the rod is adjustable in length. The lever Pisfulcrumed on the cross-bar P', which is rigidly attached to the undersides of the longitudinal beams A. The

ler.

f point to the rod R.` This rod extends hori" zontally backward betweenthe beams A and' upper ends of the lever are joined by a crossbar, p,which passes through the rod L, and is thus connected with the draw-barand coup- The rod L extends beyond the cross-bar p, and is connected atits inner end by a hook or link with one end of the vibrating arm Q.This arm is horizontally pivoted at its middle hooks into the coiledspring R', which is fastened at its other end to the bar R2, set in thebeams A at the inner end of the truck. The other end of the rocking armQ is pivotally connected with the rod S, which extends forward betweenthe beams A, and is connected with the chain S of the ordinaryhand-lever.

draw down the free end of the bent lever O,

thereby straightening y, the arms of the toggle and holding the brakeson. The brakes are thus always on unless some special force is exertedto .take themoft. This is supplied, when necessary, by the pull of thelink on the pin C, and consequently on the buffer and the draw-bar,which is exerted as soon as the train begins to move forward. This pulldraws the lever l? and rod O2 out of the ver"` tical position, andthuslifts the free end of the lever O, thenebyraising the joint of thetoggle and drawing the brake-bars together, so that the brakes are takenoff. This position of the mechanism is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.be the case when the locomotive stops, the springs K and B are left totheir normal operation, which again applies the brakes. If, now, thelocomotive should be backed, the buffer would be pushed inward, carryingthe draw-bar with it, and again resulting in the deflection of the leverP and rod O2 from a perpendicular, and consequently in the lifting ofthe joint of the toggle N and the taking oft' of the brakes, so thatthey would offer no As soon as this pull ceases, which willl obstructionto the backing of the train. Thus I. secure an automatic application ofthe brakes at all times (including the case of a car standing detached)when motion is not desirable, and an automatic removal of them1ivheliever the train is drawn forward or pushed I retain the ordinaryhand-lever apparatus for the purpose of taking olf the brakes when it isnecessary to move a detached car. It may also be used as an auxiliary toputting on the brakes of a train of cars at the start.

The lever O might be pivoted near the outer end of the truck, instead ofthe arrangement shown in the drawings. It would then require a greaterforce to operate it, but would operate more rapidly.

At each end of the brake-bar I fasten the lower end of a strut-spring,T, whose upper end is fastened in like manner to the crossbeam. Thetendency of these springs is to force the bars apart, and thus furnishan additional security that the brakes shall always be applied,exceptwhen for some special reason it is requisite to take them off.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The hollow open-mouthed buffer B, in combination with the couplerI C,the pin C', rigidly affixed to the coupler, but arranged to have alimited backward and forward play in the buffer, and the pin C2,arranged to have a vertical play in both coupler and buffer and alimited longitudinal play in the former only, and means for lowering andraising the pin G2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The buer B, coupler C, upright pin C, horizontalpins E and E2,guidingrods E', and mechanism for lifting the pin E, all in combination,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The buffer B, coupler C, upright pin C?, horizontal pins E and E2,guiding-rods E', bar H, shaped and arranged as described, spring F,arranged as described, and means for lifting the pin E, all incombination, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In atraction car-brake,the bifurcated toggle-arms N and N', connectedwith and arranged to operate two or more brake-bars, in combination.with vreadily-yielding draw-bars, and mechanism for connecting theknuckle of the toggle-arms with the draw-bar, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth. A

5. The springs K and R', lever l?, arranged asdescribed,mechanismconnecting the springs with each other and with one end of the lever,rod O2, arranged substantially as described, bent lever O,connecting-rod N', toggle N, and brakebarsM, all in combination,substantially as and for the purposes described.

' EDWARD B.- MEATYABD.

Witnesses:

JNO. C. MACGREGOR, H. D. HoLLrsTER.

IOO

IIO

